Love Potions and Lies
by quidditchmum
Summary: A crime has been committed at Hogwarts and Harry and Ginny are the prime suspects. They work with their friends to uncover the real perpetrator. Their investigation may reveal more than they bargained for.


_Author's Notes: This was originally written for SIYE's Cluedo Challenge. It should stand on its own regardless of the challenge as a sixth year missing moment although it's a bit AU._

Harry and Ginny stood before the portrait of the Fat Lady just outside the Gryffindor common room, hands clasped together. Harry stole a quick look at Ginny. Her Quidditch robes were a fair bit rumpled, her hair was mussed, and her lips were red and swollen. Merlin, she was gorgeous.

"Worried?" Ginny looked up at him from underneath her eyelashes and gave him a shy smile that made his stomach flip flop. He wondered that she could still be shy with him after what they'd gotten up to that afternoon, but he supposed that was they way of new relationships. Not that he had any real experience to speak of.

"Nah." Harry returned her smile. "I actually caught Ron's eye right after, er."

"You snogged the living daylights out of me in front of all of Gryffindor Tower?"

"Yeah, right after _that_." Harry blushed and looked down at his shoes again. "Anyway, I think he's okay with it."

"Well here goes nothing then." Ginny's eyes took on a familiar blazing look and Harry looked up with fierce determination. They both took a deep breath and stepped through the Portrait Hole hand in hand.

"Where have you been?" Harry and Ginny were barely through before Hermione, who was apparently in a right temper, accosted them. This surprised Harry. Of all the people he expected to react adversely to he and Ginny, Hermione wasn't one of them. Sure, he had been a little more worried about how Ron would respond to the show they had put on earlier in the common room than he had let on. And, if the broken glass was any indication, Dean Thomas was less than thrilled with their performance, but he thought Hermione would be quite chuffed about it. In fact, Harry had been on the receiving end of enough of her knowing looks over the past few months that he was pretty certain she was rooting for him to work up the nerve to make a move on Ginny.

"Er…" Harry started to respond, but Hermione cut him off immediately.

"No one's seen you all afternoon and neither of you showed up for dinner!"

"We, er, lost track of time and stopped down at the kitchens to knick some food since we missed dinner." Harry said, puzzled by Hermione's attitude.

"Lighten up Hermione, missing dinner's not a crime," said Ginny still firmly holding on to Harry's hand.

"That's just it. A crime has been committed."

"It's true," Ron said. "I was barely into my second helping when Professor Dumbledore made the announcement and then before I could swallow another bite, everyone was escorted back to the dorms by their Head of House."

"Ronald, must you always think of your stomach at times like these?" Hermione's eyes were a bit wild and her hair was extra bushy. She was clearly overwrought.

Harry glanced around the common room and noted it was jam packed with chattering Gryffindors of all ages. He noted that Dean Thomas was sitting in an armchair by the fireplace shooting him venomous looks that would make a Death Eater proud.

"Don't look now, but Dean looks like he wants to hang me upside down by my bollocks." Harry bent down and whispered in Ginny's ear and she immediately scanned the crowd for Dean. "I told you not to look!"

"Sorry." Ginny gave him a playful slap and whispered back. "I was afraid of that. Earlier, right before you came in, before you, er…"

"Snogged the living daylights out of you in front of all of Gryffindor?" Harry interjected helpfully.

"Yes, right before you did _that_, he was headed in my direction with a glass of Butterbeer and a 'can we talk' look in his eyes."

"If you two are quite finished with your whispering, perhaps you can enlighten us as to where you've been all afternoon." As she stomped her foot to make sure she had Harry and Ginny's full attention, Professor McGonagall entered the common room.

"I'm afraid I need an answer to that as well," Professor McGonagall nodded her head first at Harry and then at Ginny. "Mr. Potter. Miss Weasley. Can you account for your whereabouts after the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw Quidditch match?"

"Yes, Professor." Harry glanced at Ginny and then back at Professor McGonagall before continuing. "As you know, I had detention with Sn—, Professor Snape this morning so I missed the match. When he released me, I came to Gryffindor Tower straight away to find out if we'd won. When I got here, well, I, er…"

"I think that's about the time you snogged the living daylights out of my sister, mate," offered Ron.

"Well, yes, I guess I did _that_ next. What's this about Professor?"

"It seems that Romilda Vane has been the victim of some mischief this afternoon. Professor Sprout found her unconscious in an abandoned corridor. Madame Pomfrey determined she had been stunned, was the victim of a poorly executed Obliviate and," she looked over her eye glasses directly at Ginny, "a Bat Bogey hex."

Ginny's eyes grew wide at this and everyone within hearing distance of the Professor turned to look at her.

"It is my understanding, Miss Weasley, that the Bat Bogey is somewhat of a specialty of yours."

"I don't know if I'd call it a specialty." Ginny bit her lip nervously. "I've used it on my brothers a time or two, but I didn't hex Romilda. I've been with Harry all afternoon."

"Yes, well normally his word would suffice, but an interesting side effect of Miss Vane's condition is that the only words she has spoken so far are your and Mr. Potter's names."

"What?" Harry asked.

"Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, over and over again. That's all we've managed to get out of her." McGonagall said. "Is there anyone else that can attest to both of your whereabouts this afternoon?"

"Dobby and Winky served us dinner in the kitchens." Harry said.

"Dobby." Professor McGonagall called.

In less than a second, the tiny elf with the bulging eyes appeared before the Gryffindor Head of House.

"Yous called for Dobby, Professor?" Dobby asked.

"Yes Dobby. Mr. Potter tells me that you served he and Miss Weasley dinner this evening."

"Yes Professor. Dobby and Winky were most happy to serve the great Harry Potter and his Miss Wheazey." Dobby looked at Harry with eyes full of admiration.

"Can you tell me what time they arrived in the kitchens?"

"Dobby is not certain, but thinks it was being near the end of dinner."

"Thank you Dobby. Dinner ends at six-thirty. Unfortunately, Miss Vane was found well before then. What were you doing between the Quidditch match and your visit to the kitchens?"

Harry and Ginny glanced at each other before answering at the same time.

"Talking."

"Snogging."

Harry looked at Ginny and she just shrugged her shoulders. He could swear he saw the usually stern Assistant Headmaster's mouth twitch just a bit at the corner.

"What we mean is that we spent the afternoon on the grounds talking and snogging." Harry offered sheepishly, his face flush with embarrassment.

"I see," said McGonagall in a serious tone. "And while you were on the grounds talking and snogging, did you happen upon any other students or faculty that could vouch for your whereabouts?"

"Luna!" Ginny nearly shouted.

"That's right." Harry agreed happily. "We ran into Luna when we were walking around the lake."

"Yes, she said something about the conditions being ripe for spotting Blubbering Humdingers so she was searching the grounds," Ginny added.

"I see," said Professor McGonagall. "Dobby could you please deliver a message to Professor Flitwick? Please advise him that Miss Lovegood's presence is required in the Gryffindor common room and if you would, please escort her here."

Dobby bowed and then disappeared with a loud pop.

"Hermione," Ron said looking quite bewildered. "Haven't you been telling us for years that it is impossible to Apparate within Hogwarts?"

"Apparently that doesn't apply to House Elves. I will have to conduct further research as soon as I can get to the library."

Dobby returned a moment later with Luna Lovegood.

"That was fun." Luna took in her surroundings dreamily. "Oh, hello Ginny. Hello Harry. It's nice to see you again."

Professor McGonagall interrupted before they could return her greeting. "Miss Lovegood, Mister Potter and Miss Weasley have indicated that you saw them out by the lake this afternoon. Can you confirm this?"

"Oh yes Professor. We had a lovely conversation about the mating habits of the Blubbering Humdinger."

"Thank you Miss Lovegood. Could you tell me the approximate time that you spoke with them?"

"I spent about an hour after the Quidditch match talking with the portraits on the third floor. It was not long after that. I saw them almost immediately upon starting my expedition."

"I see." McGonagall pursed her lips. "I'm afraid that doesn't help the two of you much. You still would have plenty of time to attack Miss Vane."

"But Professor," Harry started.

"I believe you Potter and I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this. I'm going to report my findings to the Headmaster. Until I return, I have to ask that the two of you remain here in the common room."

"Yes Professor," Harry and Ginny said together.

"Dobby, you may return Miss Lovegood to Ravenclaw Tower."

"Oh, may I stay and visit with my friends Professor?"

"Very well. See that you are in your own house before curfew."

Professor McGonagall left for Dumbledore's office briskly, followed by Dobby. Harry and Ginny settled onto a sofa in front of the fire. Ron and Hermione took the sofa opposite them whilst Neville and Luna sat on cushions on the floor.

Harry sighed and wondered how trouble had managed to find him even on the best day of his life.

Hermione didn't give him any time to wallow. "If we work together and approach this methodically and logically, I'm sure we can get solve the mystery and exonerate Harry and Ginny." She immediately conjured a large white board. After a flick and swish of her wand, it contained the beginnings of a chart with the headings of Suspect, Motive, Opportunity and Evidence.

"To be fair, I suppose we'll have to list Harry and Ginny as suspects since their alibis are unsubstantiated. I'll list the Bat Bogey hex as evidence under Ginny. It's circumstantial, but still evidence," Hermione said.

"I didn't hex her," Ginny insisted. "I may have wanted to hex her. She's dead annoying, but I can assure you Romilda Vane has been the last thing on my mind today." She gave Harry a quick wink.

"Honestly, you're right in that she rubs a lot of people the wrong way. That would explain the hex, but who would want to Obliviate her?' Hermione asked the group at large.

"Someone with something to hide," said Ginny.

"She knew something that someone didn't want getting out." Harry was starting to embrace the challenge.

"Of course it was Malfoy," Ron stated with conviction.

"What's your evidence?" Hermione asked.

"Who needs evidence? It's Malfoy. 'Sides, Harry thinks he's a Death Eater."

Harry nodded. "But why would Malfoy be after Romilda?"

"Well, she's a Gryffindor and she's obviously got the hots for Harry." Ron was starting to gain confidence and continued. "Maybe he was jealous, and he lured her down to the dungeons to have his way with her. He's a good-looking bloke. She's obviously desperate for a good snog. She might go along and then he hexed her."

"Malfoy, good-looking?" Ginny was shocked. "Gee Ron, I didn't know you swung that way."

"As if," Ron said. "Not that there's anything wrong with it and it's birds for me, but I know an attractive bloke when I see one even if it is Malfoy."

"Too bad, I always thought you'd make a lovely bride Ron." Both Ginny and Harry laughed at Harry's remark, but Hermione was not amused. Luna wore a vacant expression as usual. If one didn't know better, one would assume that she wasn't paying attention at all.

"Would you please be serious?" Hermione's eyes were glassy as if she was on the verge of tears. "This is not a joke. If the Ministry gets involved, it will be just the excuse Scrimgeour needs to drag Harry in and make him cooperate. We've got to solve this before it gets that far."

Harry knew that Hermione was right. The Minister was not pleased at being harshly rebuffed by Harry when he showed up uninvited at Weasley's at Christmas. He would jump at any hint of wrongdoing if it brought Harry under his control.

"You're right Hermione," Harry said, sufficiently cowed. "Let's start with motive. Can you think of anyone with a grudge against Romilda?"

There was a moment of silence whilst Harry's question was considered before Ginny spoke up. "There was that whole love potion incident. Ron was nearly killed."

Hermione swished her wand and Ron's name was added to the suspect list with near death by love potion listed as his motive.

"So now I'm a suspect?" Ron huffed.

"You do have motive," Hermione, said matter of factly.

"Fine, but if my name is going to be up there, I insist that you put Malfoy's up there."

"And what should I list as motive, opportunity or evidence?" Hermione was losing patience again.

"You can list motive as suspected Death Eater," Ron said smugly.

"Fine." Harry could tell that she was only doing it to humor Ron and move things a long, but Hermione added Draco's name to the suspect list with the motive as suspected Death Eater. "Back to you Ron. Can you account for your whereabouts this afternoon after the Quidditch match?"

"You bloody well know where I've been all afternoon Hermione! After the party, I spent the whole afternoon in the library with you!"

"Oh right." Hermione studied her board for a moment. "I think we need a new column for alibis so we can eliminate suspects." She swished her wand again and a heading for alibis appeared. Ron's alibi was listed as library. Ginny's was snogging with Harry and Harry's read snogging with Ginny.

"Back to the question at hand," said Ginny. "Who else might have it in for Romilda?"

"Well," said Harry thoughtfully. "What about Lavender? Romilda did slip her boyfriend a love potion, even if he wasn't the intended target."

"And," said Hermione immediately jumping aboard the theory. "The love potion incident was pretty much the end of her and Won-Won."

Lavender, who was watching the proceedings from a sofa where she was seated between Dean and Seamus saw her name go up on the board.

"Please. If I was going to hex anyone over what happened between Ron and me, it would him or YOU!" She pointed at Hermione. "Besides, I have an alibi. I spent the entire afternoon in Professor Firenze's classroom …with Seamus." She gave Ron a victorious look.

"Better him than me," Ron muttered as Hermione swished her wand and filled in Lavender's alibi.

"I'm rather enjoying the speculation, but I'm quite surprised that no one has mentioned the most obvious suspect." Luna had remained quiet for so long, Harry had forgotten she was even in the room.

"Who's that?" Ginny asked.

"Why Dean of course."

"Dean?" Ron laughed. "Good one Luna. How'd you come up with that?"

"It's perfectly logical," Luna said in her uniquely Luna way.

In Harry's experience, logic and Luna were not words that were often used in the same sentence, but he had to admit that on occasion she had a disarming way of cutting right to the heart of the matter. "Why do you think so?"

"He's covered in Nargles," Luna said as if that explained everything.

"Honestly," Hermione was frustrated that things were obviously headed off track again. "What do Nargles have to do with anything?"

Harry was about to agree with Hermione when he saw Dean shift uncomfortably in his seat. "Wait, Nargles infest mistletoe don't they Luna?"

"I don't even want to know how you know that, mate," Ron said.

"Exactly." Luna smiled. Harry was catching on.

"But it isn't Christmas and Professor Sprout isn't growing any mistletoe in the greenhouse," said Neville.

"There is a high concentrate of essence of mistletoe in," started Hermione.

"Love potions," finished Ginny.

"Do I want to know how you know that?" Harry whispered to Ginny.

"Shut it prat!" She returned.

"I'm not trying to be thick here," said Ron whose face was scrunched up like his brain was trying to work out something that was just out of his reach. "We all know that Romilda is rather fond of love potions, but what does that have to do with Dean?"

"That's the easy part," said Luna.

Harry glanced Dean's way again and noted that he was becoming more agitated by the second. "Tell us Luna."

"Dean wants Ginny to love him, which is rather foolish of him if you think about it because everyone knows that Ginny loves Harry," she explained causing Ginny to blush. "And while I don't think Romilda loves Harry, she seems to be anxious to be attached to him and to get in his trousers and if Romilda is in Harry's trousers than it would be difficult for Harry to convince Ginny that he loves her. Romilda is often surrounded by Nargles."

Harry blushed, but he wasn't sure if it was because Luna just announced that he was in love with Ginny or out of mortification at the thought of Romilda Vane in his trousers.

"That makes no sense at all," Ron said.

"It doesn't and yet it does," admitted Hermione begrudgingly. "Luna do you mean to say that Dean has been feeding Ginny a love potion?"

Harry caught movement out of the corner of his eye and had his hand on his wand and pointed at Dean before he could slither away. "Sit down Dean."

Dean reluctantly complied.

"I've only ever noticed Ginny infested with Nargles once," Luna said. "I believe it was around the time she had that big row with Ronald."

Harry was convinced and apparently so was Ginny. She rose to her feet and marched to where Dean was seated. "DEAN THOMAS! That glass of Butterbeer. Were you trying to feed me a love potion after the match?"

Dean would not look Ginny in the eye and did not speak.

"You have a lot of explaining to do Thomas," she growled.

"So one afternoon with Potter and it's Thomas then," Ginny's words had apparently given Dean courage.

"Excuse me if I refuse to be on a first name basis with the slimly git who's been trying to slip me love potion!" She pulled her wand from her robe pocket and held it against his throat. "You are going to tell me now exactly how many times and when you plied me with potion."

Dean's defiant stance began to fade under Ginny's fury, not to mention her wand. "Obviously I wasn't successful and before today I only ever managed it once."

"When?"

"It was awhile ago, before Christmas," Dean admitted. "One night after Quidditch practice."

"I remember. You practically forced that dreadful Muggle sports drink on me. Dragonade, I think it was."

"Gatorade. That was the night."

"Wait that was the night. Ron and Harry. In the corridor."

"Dean, what I don't understand is you were already dating," Hermione asked, trying to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together. "What did you need with a love potion?

"Well it wasn't exactly like she was very forthcoming with her affections or favors, was she?" He was angry again. "Before that night, she'd barely peck me on the lips."

"So you thought you'd loosen me up with some love potion, you bastard?"

"It wasn't only that. I'm not completely thick, you know. Yes, you were dating me, but I knew you'd throw me over in a heartbeat if Potter looked at you crossways and he was starting to look."

Harry was surprised at this. Had Dean recognized his feelings for Ginny before he had?

"Is that where Romilda came in, Dean?" Hermione asked.

"Ginny's right, you are a real bastard," Harry was furious. "You thought you'd help Romilda distract me so you could have Ginny all to yourself and then you gave her a love potion to seal the deal."

Dean did not respond so Hermione resumed her interrogation. "Who's idea was the love potion, yours or Romilda's?"

"Mine, but Romilda was easy to persuade."

"And what happened today?" Hermione continued.

"I got a new shipment of potion from Fred and George. I figured I could use it to get Ginny back and I convinced Romilda that she was sure to land Harry today. After what happened in the common room between you, well she was livid. We argued in that corridor on the third floor and she threatened to tell. I had to hex her and then I tried to wipe her memory so she couldn't cause me any trouble."

"And you just happened to use my signature hex." Ginny barely lowered her wand. "I taught you that hex."

"I think it's time we took you to Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said. "Ron and I are prefects. We'll escort you."

Dean's head hung low between his shoulders. He seemed resigned to his fate, but Ginny was not finished with him yet.

"You, you made my own brother think I was some sort of slag that night. And, and Harry."

"And isn't that exactly what you are?" Dean's head flew up and his temper returned. "We're barely broken up and you're snogging him in front of everyone!"

Ginny raised her wand, but before the hex could leave her lips, Ron stepped between her and Dean and took him by the shoulder.

"Dean, mate," Ron said in a deceptively calm voice whilst he held his shoulder in a death grip. "I think you lost the moral high ground here when you fed my sister a love potion."

"Moral high ground?" Harry said with a smirk. "Nice vocabulary mate."

"Hermione's influence I imagine," Ron answered and then turned to Dean, "I shudder to think about what Ginny's going to do to you, not to mention Harry. Right now we're going to Dumbledore's office and you're going to tell him exactly what you've done. When he's finished with you, you and I are going to have a little chat and then Harry and Ginny can have what's left of you."

"Now, wait a minute." Harry stepped forward. "I think as Ginny's,' he paused to swallow and gave her a hesitant smile. "Boyfriend, I should get first crack at him."

"I'm standing right here you two Neanderthals," Ginny said, her color and temper still peaked. "I'm perfectly capable of handling this git on my own."

"Sorry guys, but it's a big brother's right, no duty to take care of anyone who calls his baby sister a slag. It's part of the big brother code."

Surprisingly, Ginny considered Ron thoughtfully before responding or hexing him. "The big brother code, eh? I suppose I do owe you one for the mess I made with the Viktor Krum comment last time your overprotectiveness was an issue."

"I guess you could say that." Ron gave Hermione a bittersweet smile before returning his attention to Ginny.

"Okay. Just this once, you have my permission to follow the big brother code and act like an overprotective prat. You can have the first go at him, but only this once," She held out her hand.

Ron took it and shook it firmly. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you. Right now I think it's time to escort Mr. Thomas here to Dumbledore's office so he can get what's coming to him. Luna, I think you should go with us. You deserve credit for solving the mystery and Merlin knows we'd never be able to explain it."

"Thank you Ronald," she said dreamily.

Ron, Hermione and Luna disappeared through the Portrait Hole with Dean, leaving Harry and Ginny to sink into the sofa in front of the fire. Harry slipped his arm around her, thrilled that he was now allowed to do so.

"Well, it's been quite a day," Harry said.

"I'll say," said Ginny, snuggling up a little closer to him.

"I don't think I'll ever forgive him for doing that to you, but in a way, I feel like I should thank him."

"Thank him?"

"That night Ron and I caught you two in the corridor, well that's when I realized I had feelings for you. I wanted to kill him that night."

"I'm glad Harry. Now we can kill him together, if Ron leaves anything left of him for us to finish. Right now, I'd like to forget all about Dean and Romilda and snog my boyfriend though."

Harry was happy to oblige.


End file.
